Whether you took time off from work to pursue personal interests like finishing school or exploring the world or if you were a stay-at-home parent, take ownership of your decision to leave the workforce when you meet with prospective employers. Re-entering the workforce after a lengthy or not-so-lengthy absence isn't an anomaly as many job seekers would believe. It's a work-life or career stage that you should be able to explain during your interview. Use your cover letter for the intended purpose: to give the recruiter or hiring manager a reason to actually read your resume.

Introduction

The introduction to your cover letter should state that you're interested in learning more about the job you're applying for, where you saw the job posting or how you learned about the job. Two or three sentences usually is sufficient. If you were personally referred by another employee, always mention the referral in your introductory paragraph to help you make a greater impact. Brevity is a key factor in sustaining the reader's interest.

Qualifications

The purpose of your cover letter is to persuade the recruiter or hiring manager to give your resume attention and to contact you for an interview. Although you'll have to explain it at some point, refrain from excusing your absence from the workforce with apologetic language or tone. An effective cover letter emphasizes what you bring to the organization, not why you haven't been in the workforce. Nor does your cover letter attempt to explain how long you've been out of the workforce -- the reader can glean that from your resume. Use two to three sentences to explain your qualifications and your accomplishments using present-tense descriptions. For example, instead of writing, "When I was events coordinator for ABC Foundation from 2000 until 2005, I managed all of the fund development activities," write, "My qualifications include event planning and management for nonprofit and charitable foundations' fund development activities." The former version dates your work experience and it may lose the reader's interest by suggesting your knowledge and skills aren't current.

Explanation

Instead of justifying why you should be considered for an interview, despite your absence from the workforce, describe work-related activities that you participated in during the time you weren't working. For example, if you maintained industry knowledge through continuing education coursework and workshops, weave into your cover letter current knowledge of your field. Likewise, if you donated your time to volunteer efforts that utilized your professional skills, include that in your cover letter as well as your resume. List volunteer positions on your resume using the same format as paid positions. Many employers won't be concerned about your absence -- they're concerned that you may have let your skills atrophy when you weren't working. Therefore, use your cover letter to emphasize that your skills are up-to-date and that you are worthy of consideration.

Bullet Points

Bullet points draw the reader's attention to significant achievements in your career. Use two to four bullet points that quantify your performance or results in previous jobs. For example, if you're returning to the events management field, you could say, "My professional competencies include managing logistics for annual fundraising drives, venue selection, delegating committee assignments and negotiating vendors' contracts." Construct similar bullet points for both paid work and non-paid work.

Closing

End your cover letter using the same closing you would as if you were currently employed. Again, refrain from saying something like, "I am looking forward to returning to the workforce and would welcome the opportunity to interview with you." Reiterate your interest in learning more about the job, and close the letter with a phrase such as, "Thank you in advance for your favorable consideration."

About the Author

Ruth Mayhew began writing in 1985. Her work appears in "The Multi-Generational Workforce in the Health Care Industry" and "Human Resources Managers Appraisal Schemes." Mayhew earned senior professional human resources certification from the Human Resources Certification Institute and holds a Master of Arts in sociology from the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

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